As WWDC looms, Apple’s iPhone 14 plans enter the light

The usual Kuo/Gurman duo are beginning to sneak out the latest Apple iPhone 14 series plans, which, in conjunction with Apple’s WWDC looming announcements, mean we have more insight than before on what’s to come as manufacturing begins.

Nikkei has said all four models of iPhone 14 are now at the engineering verification test (EVT) phase of production.

What is coming with iPhone 14?

The processor:

Kuo says TSMC will manufacture the A16 processor inside the next series of iPhones using the same 5nm production process. This isn’t unexpected and TSMC’s 3nm production plans still seem to be on track, and the new iteration of these chips will almost certainly deliver additional graphics performance and battery life improvements.

One more thing: Apple may continue to put A15 chips inside some models as the ‘Pro’ range becomes more clearly differentiated from the rest of the range.

The display:

Gurman tells us to anticipate an always-on lockscreen display in the next iteration iPhone. This was allegedly on the list for iPhone 13, but this didn’t happen. Now support for the feature will be announced within iOS 16 but made exclusively available in iPhone 14 Pro models which may use a more advanced LTPO display. And support interactive Lockscreen widgets along with thinner bezels on the Pro models.

The camera:

This reportedly disappears into the background thanks to what’s being called a hole punch and pill arrangement. The main camera may deliver 48-megapixels, general reports have also claimed. Korea’s LG Innotek and Japan’s Sharp are thought to be making these and the modules are expected to offer autofocus.

We now believe Apple will have a hole + pill design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. The smaller hole will not be invisible…The two hole concept will be unique to Apple, like the notch, not similar to all the pill models from Huawei…Let's see those new renders pic.twitter.com/Udt8cTKzPZ

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) January 12, 2022

No more iPhone mini:

Oddly enough the millions I thought wanted an iPhone mini don’t seem to exist. iPhone 13 mini accounted for just 3% of sales. In response, Apple seems set to stop making them. Instead, the range may consist of a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a brand new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.

iPhone Max:

There may be delays getting hold of the iPhone 14 Max as manufacturing seems to be slippingbehind, according to analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Securities.

Satellite:

Emergency satellite connectivity may feature in these devices.

[Also read: Many Google searchers ask ‘Buy iPhone 13 or wait for 14’]

Memory:

Apple may choose to pump LPDDR5 RAM into these iPhones, but only at the high-end. This should deliver useful performance and power consumption advantages in comparison to the memory currently used in the devices.

14 Pro and 14 Pro Max pic.twitter.com/39TMqVTFVc

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) March 22, 2022

Design:

Don’t anticipate too much in the way of big design choices, according to leakrr, Max Weinbach.

eSIM-only?

I don’t believe Apple will migrate all its iPhones to become eSIM-only, but do anticipate the company will introduce one model that is.

“We believe telecom companies will be given the choice of whether to stock and sell a new eSIM-only iPhone variation alongside more cellular business-friendly dual eSIM/physical SIM support models,” said Technology Service Director at GlobalData, Emma Mohr-McClune.

More coming soon.

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